stress this to his
Lordship, but under the circumstances he might contact the investigating
detectives himself."
Vera smiled, “on the other
hand with a cloud of suspicion hanging over young, Oswyn he may want to let
sleeping dogs lie."
"I'm afraid I cannot
comment on that situation. I think it may be like the bad fitting suit; its
best let sitting in the closet."
Vera stood up. "I think
we've covered nearly all for the moment," she said as she turned to leave,
"so for now Q.E.D."
She looked at the ship's
brass clock, my goodness, she thought, it’s one o’clock, Henry will be waiting
for me. She freshened up her lip color and gave her cheeks a little brush of
powder before hurrying out into the street. She felt like a teenager on her
second date as she walked briskly to the little restaurant called Marmalade.
Her heart gave a little flutter when she saw Henry standing outside.
Once seated at a cozy corner
table, Vera glanced at the menu. "I can recommend the Dover sole with the
salad trimming."
"Dover sole for two
please," the young waitress attending their table smiled. "Yes sir,
certainly."
Very soon the waitress returned
with the food. They ate with relish, bound by a mental telepathy of eye
contact. Henry finished first. "That was absolutely delicious." He
reached for the menu and Vera put her hand on it.
"I'll order dessert. I
know just what you'll enjoy."
"I really haven't a
sweet tooth but I'll trust your choice."
The young waitress came to
them, and after clearing the plates she took Vera's order. She returned with a
fruit cocktail and cream for Vera and Henry’s dessert which Vera had ordered by
simply pointing at it on the menu.
His first spoonful he
declared excellent.
"I knew you'd enjoy
it."
"Excuse my ignorance,
but what is it called?”
"It's your favorite…
peach soufflé!"
Red faced and almost choking,
he picked up the menu and glanced at the desserts. "You're absolutely
shameless, but I love you with sinful pleasure.”
She leaned over and whispered
in his ear, “No dearest Henry, the pleasure was all mine”
Instantly they broke into
spontaneous and uncontrollable laughter.
After gaining a modicum of
composure, Vera picked up her handbag and took out a brown envelope. "Here
Henry is a list of ports of call for the Rangoon. It looks to me you might be
ready for a port in Japan called Shimizu. She will be calling there with a
cargo of grain from Australia."
"The Yard has assigned
us one of their men, he’s their marine specialist and he's taking me in hand
for training. He hopes to have me ready in a couple of weeks, so that port of
Shimizu would be within our time range. We have to reckon on the flight out and
organizing the changeover."
"Henry, the changeover
is something Captain Leavy-Hobbs will want to know about. He will want to know
how you are going to get this assistant steward to go, you know he will have to
have some very convincing reason to leave a ship."
"To be quite honest I
have no knowledge of that yet, but as soon as I get all the information about
what will happen I'll let you know. I believe we have some British agents in
that part of the world and it will probably be their job to organize
that."
"Captain Leavy-Hobbs is
going to have to tell Lord Percy. There’s a board meeting this afternoon and
he'll be in attendance, so I'll be in touch to give you, what I can presume
will be his very disturbed reaction."
"I'm shifting
accommodation this evening. I'm moving in with one of my detective team. It
will be my new official address while this operation is ongoing. I'm also
starting with this marine chap in the morning so I may not be in touch for a
day or two. I'll phone you at the office."
"Yes Henry, next time we
will have to meet away from the office. How about my house?"
"Suits me admirably, I
just can’t wait," he said, with a wicked glint in his eye.
"I will echo those
sentiments to the power of three." She leaned into him as they walked
through
Lordship, but under the circumstances he might contact the investigating
detectives himself."
Vera smiled, “on the other
hand with a cloud of suspicion hanging over young, Oswyn he may want to let
sleeping dogs lie."
"I'm afraid I cannot
comment on that situation. I think it may be like the bad fitting suit; its
best let sitting in the closet."
Vera stood up. "I think
we've covered nearly all for the moment," she said as she turned to leave,
"so for now Q.E.D."
She looked at the ship's
brass clock, my goodness, she thought, it’s one o’clock, Henry will be waiting
for me. She freshened up her lip color and gave her cheeks a little brush of
powder before hurrying out into the street. She felt like a teenager on her
second date as she walked briskly to the little restaurant called Marmalade.
Her heart gave a little flutter when she saw Henry standing outside.
Once seated at a cozy corner
table, Vera glanced at the menu. "I can recommend the Dover sole with the
salad trimming."
"Dover sole for two
please," the young waitress attending their table smiled. "Yes sir,
certainly."
Very soon the waitress returned
with the food. They ate with relish, bound by a mental telepathy of eye
contact. Henry finished first. "That was absolutely delicious." He
reached for the menu and Vera put her hand on it.
"I'll order dessert. I
know just what you'll enjoy."
"I really haven't a
sweet tooth but I'll trust your choice."
The young waitress came to
them, and after clearing the plates she took Vera's order. She returned with a
fruit cocktail and cream for Vera and Henry’s dessert which Vera had ordered by
simply pointing at it on the menu.
His first spoonful he
declared excellent.
"I knew you'd enjoy
it."
"Excuse my ignorance,
but what is it called?”
"It's your favorite…
peach soufflé!"
Red faced and almost choking,
he picked up the menu and glanced at the desserts. "You're absolutely
shameless, but I love you with sinful pleasure.”
She leaned over and whispered
in his ear, “No dearest Henry, the pleasure was all mine”
Instantly they broke into
spontaneous and uncontrollable laughter.
After gaining a modicum of
composure, Vera picked up her handbag and took out a brown envelope. "Here
Henry is a list of ports of call for the Rangoon. It looks to me you might be
ready for a port in Japan called Shimizu. She will be calling there with a
cargo of grain from Australia."
"The Yard has assigned
us one of their men, he’s their marine specialist and he's taking me in hand
for training. He hopes to have me ready in a couple of weeks, so that port of
Shimizu would be within our time range. We have to reckon on the flight out and
organizing the changeover."
"Henry, the changeover
is something Captain Leavy-Hobbs will want to know about. He will want to know
how you are going to get this assistant steward to go, you know he will have to
have some very convincing reason to leave a ship."
"To be quite honest I
have no knowledge of that yet, but as soon as I get all the information about
what will happen I'll let you know. I believe we have some British agents in
that part of the world and it will probably be their job to organize
that."
"Captain Leavy-Hobbs is
going to have to tell Lord Percy. There’s a board meeting this afternoon and
he'll be in attendance, so I'll be in touch to give you, what I can presume
will be his very disturbed reaction."
"I'm shifting
accommodation this evening. I'm moving in with one of my detective team. It
will be my new official address while this operation is ongoing. I'm also
starting with this marine chap in the morning so I may not be in touch for a
day or two. I'll phone you at the office."
"Yes Henry, next time we
will have to meet away from the office. How about my house?"
"Suits me admirably, I
just can’t wait," he said, with a wicked glint in his eye.
"I will echo those
sentiments to the power of three." She leaned into him as they walked
through
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